William Watt - scotsman working in Moscow 1917

[jackiefr]

Hi,

I am trying to find out about a distant relative of my husband named William Watt. He was born in 1841 in Montrose, Scotland and he shows up as a ships master / owner at his marriage in 1876.

The only death we can find (Scotland's people and my self) is for a William Watt, mechanical engineer, who died in Moscow in December 1917. His death was reported by his son Alexander which would fit with the family naming tradition. The area he was living in was popular for workers at the Moscow mint. Does anyone know anything about foreigners working in Moscow at this time?
The son Alexander is a bit of a mystery too - so far no birth or death.

Thank you
Jackie Masson

[chempat]

Could you confirm which censuses you have got them in, please?   (Just for some background)

[rosie17]

As chempat said a bit more information where he was living on the census forms ...Name of his wife ?  ...There are a few UK Masters and Mates Certificates around for a William Watt ...was he in Durham Sunderland on the 1881 census ?
Rosie

[t mo]

that russian death has a birth yr of 1840 so have you discounted the others in eng for 1841 42 43 with death yrs around 1917- 19 some more of your thinking behind the whole thing may help us to help you .
regards
trevor

[Neil Todd]

Good year for a death in Moscow Russia, coincides nicely with the Bolshevik revolution and takeover 1917.

Neil

[ev]

Hi Jackie ,

Was this William Hutcheon Watt born 1841 Montrose ?
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XBD1-F4V

There is a marriage in 1876 for a William Hutcheon Watt / Margaret J(amieson ?) Sommerville , Longforgan Perth.

From Will index and death records possible death for William H(utcheon) Watt in Jan. 1915 London , born c1841.



ev


Added -
There is a Margaret Jamieson Watt born c1856 Fife Scotland , living in London in 1911.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XY55-QLN

[chempat]

Margaret J Watt from Largo, born about 1855, does not appear to have a son called Alexander in the 1891 or 1901 censuses.  Though through her absent husband (from both those censuses) she is described as a Shipmaster's wife in 1901.

[willsy]

There's also a death in the paper of the elder daughter, late of Newport, Fife

Dundee Courier 23 December 1952
Miss Isobel (Daisy) Sommerville Watt
...daughter of the late Capt. William Hutcheon Watt and Mrs Margaret Jamieson Sommerville or Watt.

[jackiefr]

Thank you all for your assistance.
He did marry Margaret Jamieson Sommerville in 1876. I can find 2 daughters, Isobel Sommerville and Margaret Gladys. these 3 people appear in census records for 1891, 1901 and 1911. Margaret appears with her family till 1871 but I haven't found her in 1881 - there are 26 Margaret Watts in the 1881 Scotland Census of about the right age but no Margaret J's. She does appear as Margaret G in 1901 and Margaret I in 1891.

William Hutcheon Watt appears in the 1841 and 1851 census for Montrose in Scotland, but I can't really find him in any others. He wasn't at home in 1891, 1901 or 1911.
I thought that ships at sea had to fill in a census and deliver them to the first port of call on arriving back in the UK - does anyone know if these are available?

The William Watt in Durham was his cousin born in 1843.

There seem to have been a number of William Watts who were seamen out of Montrose at about the same time.
A search of Lloyds List of Captains does not reveal any captains with names beginning with W.

The address given in the probate record does not match his wife and children's in 1911 but is close so I will accept this as his death.

Thank you again.